The 6th Year
by luthrengreenleaf
Summary: In her 6th year Crystle, hear of more deaths and distruction. This, along with personal struggles, will test her freindships and her courage to survie in this new world that now includes Voldemort.
1. The Grimwald Place

Chapter 1: The Grimwald Place  
  
Crystle's eyes snapped open; she sat up looking around to see what had woken her up. Then she noticed that her father was standing next to her sister's bed. He heard her and turned to face her.

"Good, your up." He said, "Do you think you can help me get Amber up? I still have to wake up Jess." Crystle turned around and looked at the clock on her bedside table, it read 1:16.

"Dad it's 1:00 in the morning! What are you doing?"

"We are going to the Grimwald Place, remember? We couldn't leave during the day because of the neighbors. So get up Amber, and get your stuff and take it downstairs."  
  
He left the room. Slowly Crystle got out of bed, annoyed at her for forgetting that they were going to the Grimwald Place. She got up her sister, and they packed in silence.  
  
Crystle and Amber were fraternal twins that lived with their dad, and their older brother; their mother had been killed by a deatheater a few months after she and her sister had been born. Luckily their father was visiting his mother with the girls and Jess. Crystle and Amber were very different in appearance, Crystle had crystal blue eyes and long strawberry-blond hair and Amber had brown eyes with a hint of amber and short brown hair, but had similar personalities, but enough differences to land them in different houses at Hogwarts; Amber was in Ravenclaw and Crystle was in Gryffindor. Jess, their brother, who had one year left at Hogwarts, was in Gryffindor also.  
The girls joined their dad and brother downstairs after they had finished packing. Crystle's brother and sister looked as tired as she felt, but her father seemed wide-awake. They dragged their trunks outside, and their father threw out his right arm, with his wand in it. There was a loud BANG, and the vivid purple Knight Bus appeared before them.  
A man around the age of 20 stepped off the bus, and began to introduce himself.

"'Ello my name is Stan, and this is the Knight Bus- But Crystle's father cut him off, "Yes, yes. We know all about the Knight Bus. We booked four beds a couple of weeks ago. We need to get to London. Grimwald street, please."

Stan looked up, and then checked a clipboard next to him.

"You is supposed to be picked up at 1:30." He said, but Crystle's father interjected again, "Well we're early, is that a problem?"  
Stan shrugged and helped them load their 4 trunks and 4 cages containing Amber's owl, Pepper, Crystle's cat, Skeeter, Jesse's owl, Churn, and the family owl, Asiel. Once the luggage was loaded onto the bus they left Mason Street, along with their house, with a loud BANG. Crystle and Amber grabbed onto each other to stay standing, while Jess picked himself up off the floor.

"You ok?" asked Amber.

"Yeah. I think so." Said Jess, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth he was back on the floor. Crystle and Amber heaved him up onto his feet, and then sat down on the bed closest to them.

"How long is it going to take to get there?" Jess asked Stan.

"'Bout 20 minutes." He said with a smirk at look at them, and Jess, Crystle and Amber groaned.  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (20 minutes later)

"'Eres your stop." Said Stan helping them with their luggage, followed closely by Mr. Potter, Jess, and the twins. As the girls were walking down the steps the leave the Knight Bus, they heard Jess gasp. Hurrying down the steps they gasped too.

Standing on the sidewalk was no other than Albus Dumbledore.

"Hello Jason, safe trip?" he said to the girl's father as he walked over to them.

"Yeah, but it took a while to get everyone ready. So what are you doing here anyways Dumbledore?" Mr. Potter replied.

"I am checking up on everyone and getting reports, so I thought I might as well meet you here." Smiled Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye.  
Dumbledore started walking towards the other side of the street then turned to the four people standing behind him.

"Listen carefully, okay? You need to memorize this. The Order of the Phoenix can be found at number 12 Grimwald Place."  
Crystle didn't understand why Dumbledore was telling them this, so thinking about what he had said she turned to her father and looked for an answer.

"Look over there," he said when he saw her looking at him, pointing. Following his finger she saw that it was pointing between two houses, "Now think about what you just heard". Crystle thought and looked at the spot where her father had been pointing and it was all she could do to stop from gasping. Out of nowhere it seemed a house appeared, pushing the other houses on either side away and making room for itself.

"Come _on_ Crystle!" she heard Amber form in front of her, and snapped back to life, followed her sister, and the others to the door of the house. Dumbledore knocked on the old run down door, and a woman with flaming red hair answered.  
  
(F.Y.I.: This is a little bit updated. I just figured out how to change stuff in the chapters I have already put up. I still don't know how to do or read reviews so if your reading this and do know please tell me though e- mail. You can find that under my pen name. The main character in this story (Crystal) is based off a person I made up for my characters. I would give the address of the homepage I made for my characters, but it won't show up on fanfic. So I'll just break it down into pieces, www. Freewebs. com /luthrengreenleaf just leave out all the spaces and you have an address. I hope you all will leave good reviews!)


	2. Worry When We Need To

(FYI: Sorry my last chapter was so short! I started it so long ago but had a writer's block. Oh, well. I hope you all like this one. Please leave me some reviews- any kind. I am going to try to fit in another chapter before I go to camp for 2 weeks, then I'm coming back for the weekend then leaving for Texas to visit my grandparents for a week, and when I come back school will have started. So sorry for the crazy schedule. I'll try to add on more chapters in Texas, and I'll write when I have time at camp. I hope you like it so far.)

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Chapter 2: Let's Worry When We Need To

"Oh, hello Jason, Albus." She said with a small smile, and then turned to the others, "Why don't you all take your stuff upstairs; Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny are in bed. I'll get you up in the morning for a late breakfast."

They all nodded, and headed upstairs. Leaving their father and Dumbledore with Mrs.Weasley, and Tonks who had just come out of the kitchen. They each found their rooms they had stayed in last summer and dragged their trunks into the rooms behind them. When Crystle went into her room she found Hermione and Ginny sitting up in bed.

"Crystle! Amber!" said Hermione, and she ran up to them and gave them each a hug in turn, while Ginny sat on the bed smiling.

"We've missed you so much!" Hermione said to Crystle as Amber went to unpack her belongings (Amber didn't really know Hermione or Ginny very well and felt a little awkward) "Mrs.Weasley told us not to stay up and wait for you, but we couldn't fall asleep! How was your summer? How many O.W.L.s did you get? Have you been reading the _Daily Prophet_? It's awful isn't it?"

"Slow down Hermione! Let me sit down." Said Crystle and she smiled, she sat down on her bed and pulled her trunk next to her. She couldn't believe how good it felt to be talking to her best friend again. "I got 7 O.W.L.s, but Amber got 10. I guess you could say I've had a good summer, although dad was busy most of the time. Stuff for the Order you know…" She trailed off leaving her sentence unfinished. Then saw a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ on the bed next to Ginny.

"And yeah, I've been reading the _Daily Prophet_. Not much, mind you, with all those deaths and disappearances who could?" She sighed, thinking about her mother and how this must have been before she died, until Hermione's voice brought her back to her senses.

"Yeah, it's just awful! I never knew there could be so much hate in a person. Voldemort is really trying to take over this time, isn't he? I'm more worried about Harry though, with Sirius gone and Voldemort probably still bent on killing him."

"Ron's worried also." Ginny said, "He says Harry isn't his usual self, but who would be after going through what he has?"

They all sighed and didn't talk for a while. They each knew the other one was thinking about the same thing, 'how many people would Voldemort kill this year, and would he get Harry?' Crystle shook her head, don't think about that, she thought to herself, and got up to put on her nightwear.

"Let's go to bed." She said, "We'll worry about Harry when we need to."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Girls time to get up. Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes. I want you all ready and downstairs in that time. Oh yeah, your school lists have arrived also, so we're going to Diagon Alley after lunch."

Crystle heard Mrs.Weasley talking then closing the door, turning over she tried to get back to sleep, but got up when her sister started to shake her telling her to get up.

"Alright already! I'm up, you happy now?"

"Yes, but I wonder if you know that we have to be down there in five minutes?"

"Really?" Crystle moaned

"Yeah, Ginny and Hermione are already down there helping Mrs.Weasley get breakfast set up."

Crystle scowled, and got up. As she got dressed she thought about the school list and remembered something she couldn't believe she'd forgotten.

"Hey Amber, did Hermione say how many O.W.L.s she got last night?"

"How should I know? I wasn't listening to her. She's your friend, not mine. I don't even know her."

"Oh come on Amber. She's a great friend."

"A great friend for you."

"You just don't like her because she makes better grades than you, and your use to knowing more than other people."

"That's not true!"

"Yes, it is."

"No, it's not."

"Prove i-

But their fight was cut short by a knock on the door.

"Hey you two still alive? Dad sent me up. It's time for breakfast." Came Jess's voice

"Sorry" said Crystle throwing her shirt on, "coming."

The two girls joined their older brother in the hallway, and they started for the stairs. Passing the heads of house elves on the wall.

"You know that is really sick, really, really sick." Said Amber

"Yeah, so what were you two fighting about in there anyways?" asked Jess.

"We weren't." said Amber.

"Yes we were. I was telling her that she should try to be friends with Hermione, but she says Hermione isn't her type of friend."

"Maybe not, but you should try to be friends anyways." Said Jess to Amber, then he turned to Crystle, "I was surprised when you became her friend Crystle. She seems more like Ambers type of friends not yours."

"Yeah well I would have never met her if I hadn't become friends with Harry and Ron in the first place." Said Crystle as she pushed the door to the kitchen open.

"There you three are. We were just sitting down to eat." Said Mrs.Weasley, as the three of them walked into the kitchen.

Crystle sat down next to Harry, and across from Ron and Hermione, who were holding hands. Crystle noticed this and looked questionly at Harry who smiled and shook his head.

"So what time did you get here last night, Crystle?" asked Harry, trying to change the subject.

"Wha-oh," she looked up, she'd been watching Hermione and Ron, "around one fifty. We rode the Knight Bus here, then we met Dumbledore outside of the house, and that's how we got inside."

"You saw Dumbledore?" asked Harry.

"Yeah, he said he was coming to collect reports or something."

"Well there was a meeting yesterday before you came. Maybe that's what he was talking about," said Ron, joining in on their conversation.

"I don't know. He didn't talk much. Guess he didn't stay the night though." Said Crystle looking around the room "Is Lupin here?"

"Crystle last night was a full moon. Why?" Said Hermione.

"Oh. Just wondering, I mean he was here last summer, but I haven't really kept up with everything that's happened over the summer…

She looked up at the three of them, and found that they were all staring at her.

"Well I haven't…

"You could have just asked if anyone from the Order had died over the summer!" Said Hermione

"Fine! So?" said Crystle

"Well, yes." Said Hermione, and glanced at Ron, who was playing with his fork.

"Who?" Said Crystle looking from one to another

The other two kept looking at Ron, as if to get an okay. After a while Ron looked up and nodded at Hermione.

"Percy." Said Hermione in a very small voice, "Right after he joined the Order at the beginning of the summer."

"What!" said Crystle

"Shhhhh!" Said Harry, "Mrs.Weasley might hear you. She's been breaking down all summer."

"Oh my God!" whispered Crystle

They sat in silence for a few minutes until Mrs.Weasley came over and set their plates down in front of them.

"Now why the long faces?" She asked

"We were just…" began Hermione

"Missing quidditch. We were just missing quidditch. That's all." Harry said quickly

"Ahh, well you'll be back at school playing soon enough." Said Mrs.Weasley, "Now eat up. I didn't cook all this food for the trash can."

(Sorry if you think this is a short chapter, or something. I wanted to add more, but thought it was better to end on this note. Also, I wanted to get something up before I leave for the rest of the summer. You know, Girl Scout camp, then my grandparents, then school again. God the summer goes by way to fast, or it's not long enough. I can't decide which. Please leave your reviews. If people like it then I'll put a chapter 3 up. Please keep in mind that I'm not even in high school yet so if you think the chapters are to short then that's probably why.)


	3. Being Stupid

(F.Y.I.: I'm writing this at 9:00 o'clock at night, and hoping to finish it before camp, but that's only five days away, and I still need to pack, my grandparents are coming to visit (my mom's side of the family), and I have fly fishing lessons. So you're probably reading this after my two weeks at camp. Oh well, no one can say I didn't try. Please review! Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Yes I know the name Crystle isn't spelled the same, but I wanted a difference between the mineral, and the person. Lol. Oh yeah, for those of you that don't ever use God's name in vain; I'm really sorry, but I say it all the time, and so do my characters. If it really bothers you then you can tell me in a review; and I'll try my very best to remember that for all my future chapters. )

Warning: This story tells who dies at the end of O.o.t.P. so if you haven't read the 5th book then don't read this!!!!

Chapter 3: Being Stupid

"So what have you all been doing this summer anyways?" asked Crystle as they put their breakfast dishes in the sink. Immediately she wished she hadn't asked, as she remembered Percy. "Sorry, You don't have to answer that." She mumbled to Ron.

"It's all right." He shrugged, "Didn't do much. Harry came over two weeks into break. Not much else to say."

"Yeah, I was dead bored at the Dursleys, but it was a little better than last summer, not much though." Said Harry

Crystle smiled in spite of herself, "So Moody's threat worked huh?"

"Yep. It wasn't much better at Ron's really, pretty quite." He said it quietly so only Crystle could hear.

"So Fred and George moved out?" She asked, trying to move the subjects away from how their summers were; realizing that it mush have been a pretty hard summer for Harry to after losing Sirius.

At this Hermione laughed.

"Moved out! Yeah, they've made a ton of money from their joke shop. We visited them, and their house is huge!"

"They wanted to buy us a new house, but mum said no. So instead of getting a new house they're paying someone to fix it up." Said Ron

"I wish I could have visited them, but my mum's birthday is at the begging of the summer, and we always go and put flowers on her grave, then my parent's anniversary is a couple weeks after that. So that's why I couldn't come and visit you earlier." Said Crystle

"Nothing much happened at my house over the summer." Said Hermione, "We want to visit my mum's cousin, but that's about it"

They started up the stairs talking about whom the new Defense Agents the Dark Arts teacher might be, until Crystle remembered something.

"Sorry guys. I forgot to ask Amber a question. I'll be back up in a minuet." She said and hurried downstairs.

When she found Amber in the kitchen she was deep in conversation with Tonks about what it was like to be an Auror.

"Sorry to interrupt, but can I barrow Amber for a second?"

"Sure." Said Tonks

Amber scowled, but got up and left the kitchen with her sister all the same. When they were out of the kitchen Crystle got straight to the point, not wanting to annoy her sister.

"Amber can I please barrow Pepper? Please!" asked Crystle

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Whom you're sending it to."

"Tom." Said Crystle and she felt heat rising in her face.

"Again? Why don't you use Churn or the family owl, Asiel?"

"I just want to ask him a quick question. Please!" Crystle said, ignoring her sister's last question. The truth was that she knew her father and Jess would make a big deal of her having a boyfriend, and she would rather avoid it by asking to barrow her sister's owl.

"Fine, but you owe me one." She said with a small smile.

"Fine by me!" smiled Crystle.

She ran up to the room she was sharing with Hermione, Ginny, and Amber, and coxed Pepper down form the top of the wardrobe and onto her arm. She set Pepper down on the desk in the back of the room, and took out a quill and a piece of parchment; and began writhing a letter to her boyfriend.

Hey Tom!

I'm going to Diagon Alley with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Amber, and Jess around noon. Can you meet us there? Send your answer a.s.a.p! Missing you tons!

Love,

Crystle

Crystle folded up the letter and attached it to Pepper's leg, and opened the window. "You know where to find Tom, just get it to him fast okay?" she asked Pepper. Pepper replied by sweeseing her arm slightly and flying through the window. Crystle watched her until she was swallowed up by fog.

Crystle hung out with the others for the rest of the morning talking about who was winning the Quiddage League, but as noon drew nearer and nearer Crystle began to feel anxious and nervous. Anxious because she still hadn't heard back form Tom, and nervous because if she did get to see Tom it would be the first time since the last day of school.

Ten thirty came and went followed by eleven, then eleven thirty. Then at eleven fifty, when everyone was getting ready to leave, a sharp tap on the window startled Crystle. Looking over she saw Pepper outside the window waiting to be let in. Quickly Crystle crossed the room and opened the window, and let the owl inside.

As soon as Pepper landed on her shoulder she quickly untied the parchment, and as she red her boyfriend's untidy scrawl she smiled. She felt as if she could yell out 'yes!' and dance around the room, but instead she ran downstairs found her sister; and gave her a hug.

"He said yes! He said yes!"

"And?" said Amber in a bored voice.

"And he said he couldn't wait to see me!" replied Crystle.

"You've been going out with him for...what? Two years? And you still get excited when you hear from him. God, Crystle."

Amber rolled her eyes at her sister wondering how she found guys more interesting than books, or school. Then she walked into the kitchen, as they were leaving by flow powder. Leaving Crystle feeling insulted and giddy at the same time. Crystle was about to question her sister for her rudeness, but was startled instead my Mrs.Weasley's voice at the end of the hallway.

"Crystle, dear, everyone is in the kitchen ready to go."

Crystle hurried into the kitchen, joining the others at the base of the fireplace; which was emerald green. Ron stepped into the flames and said in a clear voice "Diagon Alley" followed by Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and then finally it was Crystle's turn. She gave her father a quick hug, because he wasn't coming, and stepped into the warm flames and watched them lick her legs.

"Diagon Alley." She said, and felt herself being sucked through tubes and spinning, until she came to a complete stop.

Crystle stood in the fireplace for a few seconds, getting her footing right. Then she stepped out of the fireplace, and looked around. The first thing she saw was shelves of books, and knew she must be in Flourish and Blott's. And sure enough when she looked out the window she saw a large sign that said 'Flourish and Blott's Great books since 1885'.

She stared looking around for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. She found them looking at book for advanced magic. Hermione's nose was already hidden behind a book, and the others were standing around her gathering books that were on their lists. Crystle was her chance to talk to Ron, something she'd been hoping for. Walking over to them she asked Ron to follow her. In the next empty row, which held history books, she began to apologize for how she had acted that morning.

"Ron, I'm really sorry about this morning."

"It wasn't your fault, you didn't know. It's not like he was a great brother anyways."

"Yeah, but he was still your brother."

Ron shrugged.

"I really do feel bad about this morning. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I wasn't upset." Said Ron a little defensively.

"Yes you were. Everyone could tell. All I wanted to do was say sorry, I was being stupid."

"Just drop it ok?"

They stood in silent for a few minuets, until Crystle worked up the nerve to ask a question she'd wanted to ask all day.

"So, what's up between you and Hermione?"

Ron's ears went a flaming red and he avoided her eyes. He was saved from having to answer, though, by a shout at the end of the row of books.

"Hey, Crystle! There you are! I've been looking all over for you; sorry were you guys talking?"

"Er, no. We were just getting our history books for school." Said Crystle grabbing a history book from her list, "The Ministry of Magic through History" by Kris Ash, off the shelf. Not wanting to explain why she was apologizing to Ron. Then she turned to Tom and ran up and hugged him.

"Hey! I was so happy when you said you could come!"

"I was happy when you asked. I've been here for about ten minuets. What about you?"

"I just got here. I missed you over the summer. I kept trying to convince my dad to let you come over for a weekend, but he wasn't to thrilled with the idea." Said Crystle smiling

Tom laughed. "I don't think my parents would have been to thrilled with the idea either."

Then they kissed each other. But only for a few seconds before Crystle pulled back, remembering that Ron was still standing right next to them. Tom looked confused when she pulled back, usually they lip locked for about a minuet or two. Then he saw Ron and he face turned a bright pink.

Ron stared at them for a few seconds before muttering something about schoolbooks and leaving.

"Well...that was a bit awkward." Said Crystle

"I can't believe he was staring at us like that. Like he's never seen a couple before." Said Tom.

"Oh, I think he'll have to get used to it." Said Crystle with a sly smile.

"What do you mean? Are you planning on getting him used to making out?" said Tom with a laugh

"No! Shut-up!" said Crystle with a laugh, "Never! But this morning I saw him and Hermione holding hands."

"Weird. Never thought they would get together."

"I know, but I think they are."

"That's not how we started out." Said Tom with a laugh

"Don't remind me!" grumbled Crystle, "That was the most embarrassing moment of my life. You walking in on me and my sister when I was begging her to introduce you to me, and telling her how much I liked you."

"It ended alright though. With me asking you to come with me to the Yule ball as friends. Then getting together at the begging of my sixth year. I also remember the first time I kissed you. You were a good kisser, and still are."

"Shut-up! Someone might be listening!" said Crystle, pretending to be mad, but smiling in spite of herself.

She was glad Tom was her boyfriend. He was smart, nice, good looking, and treated her well. The only down side was that she wasn't the only girl in the school who liked him. In fact a lot did, which meant a lot of girls either hated her, or were only friends to get close to him. But in spite of it all she loved being his girlfriend. The only thing she worried about was that this was his last year at Hogwarts. When she told him this though he said that they would be fine, and would deal with it at the end of the year. Crystle smiled as she thought about all this, then snapped back to realty where a hand was waving in front of her face.

"Hello? Anyone in there? Come on Crystle, do you want to go out for ice-cream after we finish school shopping, or not?" Said Ginny, who was the person waving her hand in Crystle's face.

"What? Oh...yeah, sure. That sounds great." Crystle said, and Ginny just rolled her eyes.

(Author's note: Done! Done! But that's the only plus side. In fact, I've already started the 4th chapter. God, I know I took FOREVER! That's is defiantly the down side. I'm SO mad at myself for that. BUT...I'm doing better in school though now, and having more and more time to type this stuff up. So, yeah. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up soon. Sorry if I don't. I'm trying. ; ). )


	4. Arriving

**Chapter 4**

(F.Y.I.: Yeah. Okay, I don't really know how long it's going to take me to write this chapter considering that I'm about to die of school work and how long it took me to write the last one. Besides that my internet is down in my room and my little brother won't let me use the other one, because he doesn't know how to transfer stuff from one computer to another and won't let me show him how. Then again, I have a lot of time to myself so I might get it done faster. The reason for that is that all the phones in the house are down, so I can't call my friends. And right now you're probably like "blah blah blah. Get on w/it." So I'll stop now. Lol.)

Crystle sat at a table outside an ice-cream shop. Next to her sat Tom, along with his younger brothers and a couple of Crystle's friends. Tom's brother, Brett (who was 16), was sitting next to one of Crystle's friends, Dana. Brett and Dana had been going out for about 3 months now. Tom's other brother, Hal (who was four, and was going to be a big brother soon), was sitting on Crystle's lap. Next to them was Erin, Crystle's best friend. At the table next to them sat the others.

It was the first time all summer she had been able to spend with her friends. Together they enjoyed their last few homework free hours, and Crystle wished that the moment would last forever. But at the same time she was looking forward to going back to school. Not only because she would get to see all her friends, but she just loved being at Hogwarts. She watched her friends as she thought about all this, and she couldn't help but smile. Right now it seemed her life was perfect. And at the end of the day, when she was laying in bed, she knew that this was the best end of summer she'd ever had.

* * *

It was early in the morning when Crystle was shaken awake by her sister.

"Come on! We have to leave soon. You slept in!" Amber smiled at she spoke

"I did?"

"Yeah. Now come on, don't just lay there like an idiot!" Amber was still smiling as she said this.

"Sorry. I'm up, ok? And since when are you so happy? I haven't seen you like this since…I can't even remember when." Said Crystle as she got up, and began to get dressed.

Amber looked at her for a second then shrugged and said simply, "We're going back to school."

Less than a minute later Crystle heard Mrs.Weasley yelling up the stairs that they would miss the train. People were sprinting up and down the stairs looking for lost or forgotten items. When they finally got out the door hey had twenty minuets to get to the platform, and when they had finally all loaded into another one of Mundungus's cars they only had fifteen minuets left.

They arrived at Platform 9 ¾ with five minuets to spare. They got their entire luggage on the train just as it was about to leave. As the other's waved good-bye to their parents and the other adults, Crystle waved good-bye to her father until she couldn't see him anymore, then followed the others in search of an empty compartment. As they looked they greeted friends that they hadn't seen since last year.

When they came to a compartment that Dean Thomas was in Ginny left them, next Jess left when they came to a compartment with his friends in it. Then they finally found a compartment with no one in it, but were soon joined by Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom. Crystle began to feel a little cramped after an hour, and left the compartment in search of another.

At last she came across a compartment that had a few of her friends in it. They talked together for a while, until a couple of the girls, who had boyfriends, brought up the subject of their boyfriends meeting their parents. Crystle thought it was kind of a stupid subject, but let them go on anyways. Dana talked about how her dad had interrogated Brett. For a while the girls talked about how their fathers reacted to meeting their boyfriends. Crystle was grateful for this and joined in the conversation. It wasn't until another girl, named Joanna, who Crystle didn't know very well, brought up how her mother reacted that Crystle became quiet and started to try to distract herself. She let the conversation go on for about 15 minuets before she caught Erin's eye. Immediately Erin started trying to change the conversation. Soon they were on a totally different subject, and Crystle gave her best friend a grateful smile.

Crystle knew she could always rely on Erin. They'd met each other since they were very young, and had been best friends ever since.

Lately though, Crystle had been missing her mom more than ever. There were times when, truthfully, she just wanted a mother to talk to. She thought that maybe her mother would understand her better than her father. She loved her father very much, but he wasn't a mother. She had confided this in Erin over the summer and it had been a great relief to get it off her chest.

After lunch Crystle went back to the other compartment only to find Malfoy there along with Crabb and Goyal. She looked around and noticed Harry and Hermione restraining Ron; who looked angrier than Crystal had ever seen him.

"Oh look," said Malfoy when he saw Crystle, "its Mrs. Potter. Did you have a good summer in hiding too? Cowards."

"Shove-off Malfoy." Snarled Crystle. Malfoy ignored her and went on.

"We were just talking about how Weasel's brother's death was just for fun. How he wasn't hard to dispose of." Malfoy laughed while Ron tried harder to get loose, and turning purple form the pressure his shirt was putting on his neck.

Crystle was in a fury. Her mother was still on her mind, and so was her murder. She knew what it felt like to lose someone you cared about. Especially when another human took their life. Malfoy's laughter was ringing in her ears. She whipped out her wand, and pointed it straight at his head. She heard Hermione moan behind her.

"Oh, Crystle don't!" she said, "You'd get in loads of trouble."

Crystle heeded her friend, and lowered her wand. Malfoy smiled.

"Taking orders form Mudbloods now?" he said, "I'm sure some of you're relative would love to hear that, wouldn't they?"

That did it. Crystle turned around and dropped her wand. She balled up her fists, and launched herself at Malfoy. As she punched him Crabb and Goyal stood stupidly at his side, not knowing what to do. Then she felt three pairs of hands pull her back. As they pulled her up she screamed, "Never talk to me about my friends or family like that! Ever!"

Malfoy was up in a second, and glared at her, while his cheek and nose swelled. Then he left the compartment. As soon as the compartment door closed Ron started to crack up, followed by Harry.

"That was not funny! You could get into load of trouble for that Crystle!" said Hermione, who seemed very perturbed by the whole thing.

"Who cares? It was worth it." Said Crystle

"Yeah, who cares?" echoed Ron and Harry, who where both smiling like Crystle hadn't seen them do in a long time. Hermione seemed to be enjoying their smiles to, stopped lecturing, and smiled too.

Later they ate the remaining candy from the trolley-lady, and spent the rest of the time playing chess, exploding snaps, and talking about who the new defense against the dark arts teacher might be. The rest of the afternoon seemed to go by too fast for Crystle. All too soon they were changing into their robes and pulling up to the station. All four of them got off the train, and the others started looking around for Hagrid. Suddenly they were almost crushed from behind in a hug. "Hello, you three!" said Hagrid, who was hugging them.

"Hi, Hargid." Said Crystle along with the others. Then he let them go. "I'll see yer all up at the castle." He said, and continued to father up the 1st years.

"I'm so glad he is here this year. Last was horrible without him." Said Harry

"Yeah, I know." said Crystle

Together they all headed towards the nearest carriage, and Crystle saw Harry grimace as he looked towards what she guessed was where the thestral was rigged up to carry the carriage to the castle. This was where Crystle left them. She liked Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but she was longing to see some other people. Pushing her way through the crowd she found a carriage with Erin, and some of her friends. She got into the carriage and pulled the door shut. Some of the girls looked over at her with distaste, but Crystle didn't mind. She and Erin, although best friends, hung out with very different crowds during the school year. She stayed quiet, and listened to their conversations. It seemed to take a very long time to reach the castle. Finally, after what seemed hours the carriage came to a halt.

Slowly the students filed up the stairs, and into the Great Hall. Crystle looked up at the starry sky, and felt a tingle run down her spine. She was back where she belonged.

(Author's note- Wow! That only took FOREVER! You all probably think I'm a horrible writer...And yes, it's all my fault I haven't been up-dating. I know, and I'm not going to make any excuses. I don't have any idea when the next chapter will be up. I've been rereading the HP sieries, and have a good idea of what I want to do, but I really gotta outline it first. So yeah, be faithful readers, and please have patience. Love always, luthrengreenleaf )


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